The Zambian Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Gilbert Phiri, has contended that ex-President Edgar Lungu’s daughter, Tasila, has no known source of income that would warrant her display of wealth which included the purchase of a farm in Sinda district.

Phiri had last year filed an application before the Economic and Financial Crimes Court, High Court division, to forfeit to the State the farm with an estimated value of K13 million.

But in her objection to the order, Tasila had challenged the State to prove her guilty of criminally acquiring the farm which she said was purchased with financial assistance from her father.

She described the investigations against her by the agencies including the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), as “deliberate, intentional and malicious” following the change of government after the 2021 presidential elections.

The DPP, while testifying in the alleged corruption case against Tasila, argued that her mere mention of her father as having financially assisted her to purchase the farm is not proof enough to conclude that the property was acquired and developed using legitimate funds.

The State’s evidence which was contained in an affidavit in reply to Tasila’s claims in opposition, also demanded for her to provide documentation depicting the movement of funds from the former President to herself.

Meanwhile, the DEC senior investigations officer, Emmanuel Khondwe, who also testified in the celebrated case, noted that there was cogent evidence that suggested that the property was reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime, thus, should be forfeited to the State.

Khondwe stated that according to investigations carried out by the agency. Tasila had no known income prior to the period June 11, 2015, to August 31, 2021.

In its affidavit, the DEC contended “that it is crucial for the interested party to provide clear documentation demonstrating the interested party’s father’s involvement and assistance in acquiring and developing the property, along with evidence of his financial contribution.

“That additionally, thorough disclosure of the interested party’s father’s financial sources is necessary to ascertain the legality of the funds so gifted to the interested party which were utilized to acquire and develop the property in question.

“That this information is crucial for the court to make well informed decisions regarding the legality of the funds and the status of the property under scrutiny.”

Khondwe, however, responded that the forfeiture proceedings against the property were not malicious but allegations true, founded and supported by compelling evidence.

“The interested party must demonstrate, in explicit detail, the origin and timelines showing when she came into possession of the funds utilized for the acquisition and development of the property,” he stated.

The State has also denied infringement of Tasila’s constitutional right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty with Khondwe arguing that the forfeiture proceedings were not directed at her but rather at the property itself.

Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has announced recovering a combined total of N32.7bn and $445,000 from the fraud-ridden Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

The ommission, which made this known in a statement on Sunday, also debunked rumours that the suspended minister in charge of the ministry, Betta Edu, her predecessor, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, and the Coordinator of the National Social Insurance Programmes Agency, Halima Shehu, had been let off the hook.

The EFCC also dispelled what it referred to as assumptions, and insinuations concerning the progress of its investigations into the alleged financial misappropriation in the Ministry, noting that the investigations were going on and anyone found culpable will be brought to book.

The agency statement signed by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said the recoveries were made after past and suspended officials of the Ministry were invited for interrogation by the Commission.

“The EFCC has noticed the rising tide of commentaries, opinions, assumptions and insinuations concerning its progressive investigations into the alleged financial misappropriation in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development,” Oyewale stated.

“At the outset of investigations, past and suspended officials of the Humanitarian Ministry were invited by the Commission and investigations into the alleged fraud involving them have yielded the recovery of N32.7bn and $445,000 so far.

“Discreet investigations by the EFCC have opened other fraudulent dealings involving Covid -19 funds, the World Bank loan, Abacha recovered loot released to the Ministry by the Federal Government to execute its poverty alleviation mandate.

“Investigations have also linked several interdicted and suspended officials of the Ministry to the alleged financial malfeasance.

“It is instructive to stress that the Commission’s investigations are not about individuals. The EFCC is investigating a system and intricate web of fraudulent practices.

“Banks involved in the alleged fraud are being investigated. Managing Directors of the indicted banks have made useful statements to investigators digging into the infractions.

“Those found wanting will be prosecuted accordingly. Additionally, the EFCC has not cleared anyone allegedly involved in the fraud. Investigations are ongoing and advancing steadily. The public is enjoined to ignore any claim to the contrary.:

The EFCC had earlier announced that it is probing 50 bank accounts traced to Edu following the discovery of a total of N30bn in the ongoing probe of the involving alleged money laundering charges levelled against her.

In an agency bulletin titled, the EFCC had detailed some major arrests it made, prosecutions, and recoveries made by the commission within the last month.

The document had read:

“Update on Betta Edu investigation. We have laws and regulations guiding our investigations. Nigerians will also know that they are already on suspension, and this is based on the investigations we have done, President Bola Tinubu has proved to Nigerians that he is ready to fight corruption.

“Moreover, concerning this particular case, we have recovered over N30 billion, which is already in the coffers of the Federal Government.

“It takes time to conclude investigations; we started this matter less than six weeks ago. Some cases take years to investigate.

“There are so many angles to it, and we need to follow through with some of the discoveries that we have seen. Nigerians should give us time on this matter; we have professionals on this case, and they need to do things right. There are so many leads here and there.

“As it is now, we are investigating over 50 bank accounts that we have traced money into. That is no child’s play. That’s a big deal. Then you ask about my staff strength.

“And again, we have thousands of other cases that we are working on. Nigerians have seen the impact of what we have done so far, by way of some people being placed on suspension and by way of the recoveries that we have made.

“You have seen that the program itself has been suspended. We are exploring so many discoveries that we have stumbled upon in our investigation.

“If it is about seeing people in jail, well let them wait. Everything has a process to follow. So Nigerians should wait and give us the benefit of the doubt.”